ANCHORAGE (Dec. 3, 2018) - The Red Cross of Alaska is helping dozens of people affected by Friday’s earth-quake in the Southcentral area of Alaska in conjunction with state and city officials and key non-profit and com-munity partners. 

A 7.0 magnitude earthquake centered several miles outside of Anchorage struck Alaska at 8:29 am on Friday, Nov. 30. Hundreds of aftershocks, including several greater than 5.0 magnitude, have occurred since the initial earthquake. The Red Cross continues to mobilize volunteers in response to the earthquake, and will continue to do so until assistance is no longer needed.

SHELTERING
The Red Cross of Alaska is currently operating an emergency shelter and offering meals in the following location, in conjunction with community partners:

•Fairview Recreation Center (1121 E 10th Ave, Anchorage, AK 99501)

All in need of shelter are welcome. If people are able, here are some items to consider bringing:

•Bedding and blankets
•Clothing
•Medications
•Children’s toys

The Red Cross of Alaska has been on the ground since the earthquake occurred, providing comfort, shelter and support to those who need it most:  

•To date, the Red Cross of Alaska has provided 164 overnight stays in Red Cross shelters in Anchorage, Chugiak and Wasilla since Friday, Nov. 30.   
•More than 60 Red Cross of Alaska disaster workers have answered the call to support residents in the af-fected areas.
•Working with partners, the Red Cross has served more than 900 meals and snacks since the earthquake struck.  We stand ready to assist our community as needed.

In addition to this earthquake response, the Red Cross of Alaska is continuing to respond to home fires and calls for assistance across the state as part of our regular Disaster Action Team operations.  

DISASTER EMOTIONAL HEALTH
This event has taken an emotional toll on people in the region and residents are on edge as they assess damage to home and property. The American Red Cross of Alaska offers these steps for people to take care of their emotional health as well as that of their family and friends:
•    Take care of your safety. Find a safe place to stay and make sure your physical health needs and those of your family are addressed. Seek medical attention if necessary.
•Eat healthy.
•Get some rest.
•Stay connected with family and friends. Giving and getting support is one of the most important things you can do.
•Be patient with yourself and with those around you. Recognize that everyone is stressed and may need some time to put their feelings and thoughts in order.
•Set priorities. Tackle tasks in small steps.
•Gather information about assistance and resources that will help you and your family members meet your disaster-related needs.
•Stay positive.

For more information on how to look after your mental health after disasters like earthquakes, people can reach out to the American Red Cross 24/7 Disaster Distress Helpline for counseling or support at 1-800-985-5990 or by texting ‘TalkWithUs’ to 66746, or by visiting the Red Cross of Alaska blog: https://redcrossalaska.wordpress.com/2018/12/02/impacted-by-the-earthquake-take-care-of-your-emotional-health/

VOLUNTEERS
For those that are interested in assisting the relief efforts, they can visit redcross.org/Alaska to fill out a volunteer application and complete the required background check, so that they will be ready to get started as a volunteer as opportunities become available.

DONATIONS
We know Alaskans are generous and want to do everything they can to help after a disaster. Unfortunately, col-lecting and sending food, clothing and other household items is often not helpful for either a disaster operation or for the intended recipients. Instead, the best way to support disaster victims is with a financial donation. Each disaster is unique and so are the needs of affected residents. Financial donations are the quickest and best way to get help to the people who need it most. If you’d like to make a donation to American Red Cross Disaster Relief, please visit redcross.org/Alaska.

For additional resources and periodic updates, please follow the Red Cross of Alaska on social media:
Twitter: @redcrossak
Facebook: @AlaskaRedCross
Website: redcross.org/Alaska    

About the American Red Cross of Alaska:
In FY18, the American Red Cross of Alaska offered food, shelter, comfort and hope to 892 Alaskans. We re-sponded to 308 disasters. Our preparedness/Health and Safety teams installed 2,309 smoke alarms statewide and educated 1,722 youth through The Pillowcase Project. Additionally, our Service to the Armed Forces staff exchanged 1,161 emergency messages for U.S. military service personnel and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of donors to provide aid to those that have been affected by disaster.